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A City Stop in Mysore


After a week and a half in the Western Ghats we said goodbye to the cool hills, and goodbye to the state of Tamil Nadu, and headed for the city of Mysore in Karnataka.


Nicknamed the City of Palaces, we wasted no time on our first day ‘ticking off’ the city’s famous main attraction, Mysore Palace.


The Magnificent Mysore Palace (on an overcast but very humid day!)

The grandeur and beauty of the Palace was undeniable, more so inside than out, but the flocks of crowds and shepherding by security from room to room was a bit too intense for both of us.



Looking back to the impressive entrance, completed in 1912.



The Audience Hall was definitely our favourite room. (I had to fight past selfies for this picture!)

Outside the temple we saw elephants on their daily procession. Taken from our tuk tuk window.

As usual, we spent the majority of our quick stop in Mysore wandering the streets, enjoying taking photographs and experiencing the atmosphere; a relatively calm place but still a honking, bustling Indian city.



Mysore homes.

Chickens crossing roads everywhere!

Exploring one of the many book shops.

Mysore Market, a real highlight of our time in the city.








On our third and final day in Mysore we took on the thousand step climb to the top of the Chamundi Hill. Walking up past HUGE monkeys, each of the thousand steps had been marked by pilgrims with red, orange or yellow tilaka paint (the same paint Hindus put on their foreheads), which had created a really impressive effect as you looked up the seemingly endless steps.


The start of the climb...the steps got a lot bigger!

Pilgrims donate flowers to a sculpture of Shiva's feet as they start the climb.

I was only brave enough to photograph the baby monkeys!


Steps marked with tilaka paint.

A very impressive sculpture halfway up the climb.

The happiest moment ever!

As in all India, the summit was topped with a temple, and being a Saturday the place was busy with pilgrims, tourists and locals selling everything from chai and coconuts to the world’s tackiest teddies, clocks and fake handbags!


The temple at the top of Chamundi Hill.


I had to drag James away from this stall!

That evening we got on our overnight bus, headed for the coastal town of Gokarna, and received a big shock when we discovered we’d booked a ‘sleeper’ bus with private single or double bunks - luckily we’d got a double between us and weren’t sharing with any strangers!



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